Chicken-roost.



R. E. FINLEY.

CHICKEN BOOST.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1912.

Patented Aug. 19, 1913.

includes a supporting platform 10 of wood ,the center of the portion of the platform pr on.

ROBERT E. FINLEY, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

CHICKEN-BOOST.

rotates.

Application filed July 31, 1912.

To all whom/2'15 may concern Be it known that 1, ROBERT E. FINLEY, citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chicken-Boosts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in chicken roosts and one object of my invention is to provide a sanitary roost which may be readily cleaned without the use of tools or independent cleaning devices such as are now commonly employed. And a still further object is to provide a roost which is mounted upon a platform which may be either supported on legs or hinged by one edge to a wall and swing into horizontal position when in use.

lVith these and other objects in view, my invention will be more fully described illustrated in the accompanying drawings and then specifically pointed out in the claims which are attached to and form a part of this application.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved roost; Fig. 2 is a central vertical section showing details of the cleaner mechanism.

A preferred embodiment of my invention or any suitable material and of any desired shape but with its upper face plane surfaced for a reason which will hereinafter be apparent. This platform may be hinged by one edge to a wall or mounted upon a plurality of supporting legs 11 as preferred or as surroundings dictate. Secured upon the upper face of this platform is a ring 12 of sheet metal having its inner edge upturned to form an annular vertical flange 13 the purpose of which will be later explained.

A shaft 14: is extended vertically through surrounded by the flange and has a journaled bearing in a spacer block 15 mounted upon the platform. Secured against rota tion upon the shaft and extending radially therefrom in spaced angular relation are a plurality of sweeper arms 16 each preferably formed from a bar of metal terminating at its inner end in an enlarged head 17 bent into a plane at right angles to the body portion and apertured for attachment to the shaft. The free ends of these arms are similarly curved to form scrapers 18 bearing Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 19,1913.

Serial No. 712,587.

against the inner face of the flange 13. A plurality of brushes 19 are mounted one upon each of these arms by bolts 20 passed through through vertical slots 21 formed in the arms. Mounted in this manner the brushes are free for vertical movement and by gravity will bear constantly upon the upper face of the platform. If deemed advisable springs may be attached to the arms to bear against the backs of the brushes and more firmly hold them against the platform, although this is hardly necessary.

The platform is provided at one side with a radially extending slot 22, the inner end of which terminates a slight distance from the shaft and secured to the lower face of the platform and surrounding this slot is a chute or funnel 23. If preferred a drawer slidably mounted in suitable guides carried by the lower face of the platform may be substituted for the chute, this being merely a matter of choice.

Keyed or otherwise secured upon the lower end of the shaft 14: and bearing beneath the platform to prevent upward movement of the shaft is a bevel gear 24:-

which meshes with a second bevel gear 25 keyed upon the inner end of a radially extending, horizontal shaft 26. This shaft 26 is journaled in brackets 27 and 28 secured to the lower face of the platform and the free end of this shaft extends beyond the platform and carries a hand crank 29 which may be formed integrally with the shaft or detachably mounted therein.

A plurality of supporting legs 30 each preferably consisting of a bar of metal are secured by their lower ends one upon each of the sweeper arms 16 intermediate the length of the latter and extend vertically upward. These legs are of equal height and their upper ends are bent laterally at right angles to form supports 31 for an endless trough of sheet metal 82 which is liquid tight in construction and which is secured upon the legs by bolts 33 as shown. This trough is preferably annular in shape as shown but may be made in the form of a polygon if desired. In either case no portion of the trough should extend more than a slight distance beyond the legs for a reason which will be hereinafter apparent. The bolts 33 have their heads embedded or countersunk in a roost member proper 34c and their intermediate portions inclosed in the bodies of the brushes and y spacer sleeves 35 which seat by their lower edges on the bottom of the trough and the upper ends of which extend in such a manner as to space the roost a slight distance above the top of the trough. It will thus be seen that the bolts 33 not only serve to secure the trough in place but also to mount the roost in proper position with respect to the trough.

The roost proper may be formed of wood or metal and conforms in shape and size to the trough as shown.

lVhen the roost is in use the trough is wholly or partially filled with any suitable liquid or solid vermicide. As the roost proper is supported wholly by the bolts and their sleeves rising from the trough, lice and other vermin cannot reach the roostunless brought there by the fowls roosting thereon. All droppings from the roost fall upon the platform within the retaining flange 13 and may be readily and quickly swept from the platform into the chute or drawer by turning the crank 29 to revolve the sweeper arms 26.

The roost as a whole may be made in any shape and size desired, of any preferred materials and supported in any suitable manner, without in the slightest degree depart ing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new is l. A poultry roost including a platform provided with an upstanding annular flange and a radial opening, a roost proper sup ported in spaced relation above the platform and within the bounds of the flange, a shaft extending vertically through the central part of that portion of the platform inclosed by the flange, means for rotating said shaft, and means carried by the shaft for cleaning the platform.

2. A poultry roost including a platform having an annular upstanding flange and provided with a radial slot through that portion inclosed by the flange, a roost proper supported above the platform and over the inclosed portion, a shaft extending through the central part of the inclosed portion of the platform, scraper arms carried by the shaft and adapted to move over the platform upon the rotation of the shaft, and means for rotating said shaft.

3. A poultry roost including a platform having an upstanding annular flange, a

extending slot, a shaft extending centrally through the platform, scraper arms carried by the shaft and having their free ends bent to engage against the flange, brushes carried by said arms and engaging the platform, and a roost proper supported above the platform. 7

A poultry roost including a platform having an annular upstanding flange and provided with a radially extending slot, a shaft extending vertically through the slot to the center of that portion of the platform inclosed by the flange, scraper arms extending radially from said shaft, brushes mounted for vertical movement on said scraper arms and bearing against the platform, and a roost proper supported in spaced position above the platform.

6. A poultry roost including a platform provided with an upstanding annular flange and having a radially extending slot, a shaft extending vertically through the center of that portion of the platform inclosed by the flange, scraper arms extending radially from said shaft, supporting legs secured by their lower ends to said arms and extending upwardly from the same, and a roost carried by the arms and in vertical spaced relation above the platform.

7. A poultry roost including a platform having an opening, a roost proper mounted for movement in spaced relation above the platform, means for moving said roost proper, and means carried by said roost and engaging with the platform to clean the latter during movement of the roost.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT E. FINLEY.

Witnesses:

WM. S. WITHAM, Jon BROWN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

